A laryngoscope is a medical implement comprising an elongate handle releasably connectable to an arcuate blade that is adapted for insertion into a patient's throat. Such a device is useful for intubation of a patient. The blade is connected to the handle by rotating the blade upwardly with respect to the handle. The handle is hollow and contains batteries for powering a light source to provide illumination to a distal end of the blade. The light source is traditionally an incandescent lamp arranged in the blade.
Historically, the handle and blade have been formed from metal to provide the stiffness required for opening a patient's airway. Accordingly, these known laryngoscopes have a high capital cost, and are therefore sterilised and reused many times during their service life. The typical cleaning method is autoclaving, which is in itself expensive.
In recent years, concern has been raised as to the adequacy of the cleaning and sterilisation of laryngoscopes. It is noted that metal laryngoscope handles are particularly difficult to clean, as they are often knurled, which provides a multitude of locations for bacteria and other contaminants to avoid sterilisation. In an attempt to address this problem, some disposable blade laryngoscopes have been developed. However, known disposable blade laryngoscopes have retained the same connection system as for the older fully reusable, metal laryngoscopes, in that the blade is rotated upwardly with respect to the handle to engage the blade to the handle. When the disposable blades are connected to the handle in this manner, the blade tip can often touch the handle, and accordingly, contaminants present on the handle can be transferred to the blade and subsequently to the patient.
Another problem with known disposable blades is that they often lack means for preventing their accidental re-use. Where means for preventing blade re-use are provided, it is often only apparent after a user has attempted several times to connect the blade to the handle that it is realised that the blade in hand is a used blade, thereby causing user frustration and time delays. As will be appreciated, such frustration and delays can be critical in many instances where laryngoscopes are required.
The desirability of single-use disposable blades introduces more problems including appropriate powering of the lamp and electrical connection thereto, together with reducing cost of manufacture of the disposable blade.